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Avenged Sevenfold, sometimes abbreviated to A7X, is a heavy metal/hard rock, and formerly metalcore band formed in Huntington Beach, California. The band formed in 1999.

History

Their first album was titled Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, and was recorded when the band members were nineteen years old. It was released originally on their first label, Good Life Recordings, and then again on Hopeless Records. Their follow-up album was entitled Waking the Fallen, also released on Hopeless, was very well received and was awarded a positive rating in Rolling Stone magazine. Shortly after the release of Waking the Fallen, Avenged Sevenfold was signed to Warner Bros. Records.

City of Evil, released on June 7 2005, strays from metalcore, heading more towards heavy metal and adds a more hard rock sound with obvious influences ranging from various bands. Although the band have been labeled metal, metalcore, emo, and hard rock in many publications, the band themselves claim that they are a "heavy-metal" band and have no musical similarities to metalcore in any way although this is heavily debated by their peers. During the recording of City of Evil, M. Shadows' vocal styling changed to focus more on melodic singing rather than hardcore screaming. M.Shadows had minor surgery on his vocal cords, but he has claimed that this was not responsible for the band's change of musical style.

The band's name is a reference to the book of Genesis in the Bible and the story of Cain and Abel, where Cain is punished to live in exile, alone and miserable. Anyone who relieved Cain of his misery by killing him would have "vengeance taken upon him sevenfold." The title of Avenged Sevenfold's song "Chapter Four" references Genesis IV, the chapter of the Bible in which the story of Cain and Abel takes place. The song's subject also appears to be this story. "Beast and the Harlot", yet another song derived from the Bible, comes from the book of Revelation and refers to the punishment of Babylon the great, the world empire of false religion. The song "The Wicked End" also has a reference to the bible, specifically Adam and Eve. In the song, several times it is said "dust the apple off, savor each bite, and deep inside you know Adam was right." making reference to Eve eating the forbidden fruit. Although the band's title and members' stage names make obvious references to religion, Shadows stated in an interview that they are "not really religious at all." "Anyone that read the lyrics and really knew anything about us, they would know we're not promoting either", he said. "That's one thing about this band that I love is that we never really shove any kind of, like, political or religious beliefs on people. We just, the music's there to entertain and maybe thought-provoking on both sides, but we don't try to, like, really shove anything down anyone's throat. There's too many bands that do that nowadays, I think."

Their song "Blinded in Chains" was used in the soundtrack for the video game Need for Speed: Most Wanted. Another song, "Bat Country", was used in the soundtracks for SSX on Tour, NHL 06 and Madden 06, following in the footsteps of "Chapter Four" which had also been on the soundtrack for NHL 2004, Madden 2004 and NASCAR Thunder 2004. The song "Beast and the Harlot" was in the soundtrack for Burnout Revenge. All the above games, not coincidentally, are produced by various divisions of Electronic Arts. "Beast and the Harlot" appears in RedOctane's Guitar Hero II, released November 7, 2006. The song "Burn it Down" is featured on the October 24th, 2006 release of the Saw III soundtrack.

During recent tours (Coheed and Cambria spring 2006 tour and Ozzfest 2006), Avenged Sevenfold have been performing the song "Walk", originally by Pantera, as part of a tribute to the late "Dimebag" Darrell Lance Abbott.

Recently at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, Avenged Sevenfold received the award for best new artist. They took the award over several other artists--Angels and Airwaves, Panic! at the Disco, Chris Brown, Rihanna, and James Blunt. This is somewhat ironic, since they're aren't "new artists", and have been performing for many years.

After canceling fall and winter 2006 tour dates, the band is planning their unnamed fourth studio album. M. Shadows has stated that it won't be a "City of Evil Part 2" or "Waking the Fallen Part 2", because they want to change their sound once more.

Avenged Sevenfold recently finished filming a DVD chronicling their history which will be released in April 2007 on Warner Bros.

Band members

• M. Shadows (1999-Present) (Matthew Sanders) — Lead Vocals
• Synyster Gates (1999-Present) (Brian Haner Jr.) — Lead guitar, Backing Vocals
• Zacky Vengeance (1999-Present) (Zachary Baker) — Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
• Johnny Christ (2002-Present) (Jonathan Steward) — Bass guitar
• The Reverend "Rev" Tholomew Plague (1999-Present) (James Sullivan) — Drums, Backing Vocals

Former band members

• Justin Sane (1999-2001) — Bass guitar
• Dameon Ash (2001-2002) — Bass guitar

Equipment

Synyster Gates

• Schecter White C-1 FR with Seymour Duncan Invaders
• Schecter Avenger Models (Hellraiser, Custom models)
  • Jim Dunlop Cry Baby From Hell Wah Pedal
  • Digitech Whammy Pedal
  • Visual Sound H20 Chorus/Echo Pedal
  • Boss CS-3 Compressor
  • Boss RV-5 Reverb
  • Boss SD-1 Overdrive (For Leads)
  • Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter
  • Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2
  • GCX Ground Control Pro (Located on floor for Pedal Switching)
  • Bogner Ubershall Head and 4x12 Cab
  • Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier
  • Ernie Ball 2215 Skinny top Heavy Bottom Strings

Syn has been seen using Schecter Banshee models on special occasions

Zacky Vengeance

• Schecter S-1 Models (S-1 Elite, Custom models)
  • Boss NS-2 Noise Suppression
  • Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner
  • Boss RV-5 Reverb
  • Line 6 Constrictor
  • Bogner Ubershall Head and 4x12 Cab
  • Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Head
  • Ernie Ball 2215 Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Strings

Johnny Christ

• Ernie Ball Musicman Sterling Bass
  • Gallien Krueger 4x12 Neo
  • Gallien Krueger 2001 RB Head
  • Ernie Ball 2831 Power Slinky Bass Strings

uses distortion from 2001rb head

The Reverend

• DW w/ maple shells (White lacquer finish/ Black Hardware)
  • 18x22" Bass (x2)
  • 7"x8", 10"x9", 12x10" Rack Toms
  • 14"x12" 16x14" Floor Toms (set at extreme angles)
  • 4x14" Maple Snare

• Hardware:
  • DW 9000 series with all boom stands and 5000 series pedals

• Cymbals:
  • Sabian
  • 14"AAX Metal Hi-Hats, 7" Max-Stax Splash, 10" AAX Metal Splash, 19" AAX Metal Crash(x2), 22" AAX Metal Ride, 19" AAX Metal China

• Sticks:
  • Pro-Mark
  • TX5BW Hickory 5B wood tip
• Heads:
  • Evans

Discography

Demo Recordings

For information, see Early Avenged Sevenfold releases.

Albums

• Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
  July 24, 2001
  Goodlife Recording
• Warmness on the Soul EP August 8, 2001 Goodlife Recording Warmness on the Soul EP
  August 8, 2001
  Goodlife Recording
• Sounding the Seventh Trumpet Re-Release March 19, 2002 Hopeless Records Sounding the Seventh Trumpet Re-Release
  March 19, 2002
  Hopeless Records
• Waking the Fallen
  August 26, 2003
  Hopeless Records
  #12 (Independent Album Chart)
  175,000 US sales
• City of Evil June 7, 2005 Warner Bros. Records #30 (US Billboard) 785,000 US Sales City of Evil
  June 7, 2005
  Warner Bros. Records
  #30 (US Billboard)
  785,000 US Sales
• Untitled Fourth Avenged Sevenfold Album
  October 31, 2007
  Warner Bros. Records

Singles

Charting Positions

Videography

Compilations

Trivia

• M. Shadows has said that he spends eight hours a day, seven days a week, writing songs.
• Zacky Vengeance owns his own clothing line, called "Zacky V. Presents..." It features the popular "Vengeance University" line, featuring shirts and belt buckles. .
• Synyster Gates also has a clothing line out now, titled "Syn Gates Clothing."
• The Rev and Synyster were both members of the band Pinkly Smooth, formed with members of the now-extinct band Ballistico. The Rev sang and also recorded drums. Former Avenged Sevenfold bassist, Justin Sane, was also in the band.
  • The Rev and former bassist Justin Sane also used to be in the widely-known Ska/Pop/Rock band Suburban Legends, also from Orange County.
• Zacky Vengeance was a baseball player in high school and has said that if he were not in a band, he would have pursued a professional career.
• The group won "Best New Artist" at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, despite not truly being a new band. The band themselves gave an incentive to those who voted for them (live, unreleased videos for "Seize the Day" and "Bat Country").
• Synyster Gates' father, Brian Haner plays some of the acoustic guitars on City of Evil, including the first acoustic solo on the song Sidewinder and Strength of the World. He is often referred to as the band's official acoustic guitarist.
• The song "Beast and the Harlot" was featured in 2006 PlayStation2's Guitar Hero II under the setlist Face-Melters

External links

• Avenged Sevenfold Official Site
• Offical Band MySpace
• Chapter-Four.Net

References

• American musical groups
• California musical groups
• Metalcore musical groups